WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — A plea bargain is likely for a man who is accused of killing two people earlier this year. A trial had been scheduled for 27-year-old Tyler Zimmerman of Abbotsford in January. Court records show that’s now been changed to a plea hearing on December 19.
A criminal complaint says Zimmerman suspected that his fiance was cheating on him. He tracked 21-year-old Cierra Hardath through her cellphone to a home on East Maple Street in Abbotsford. He shot and killed Hadrath and 25-year-old Duane Lopez Jr. A third person at the home, 18-year-old Megan Dupee, was wounded.
Lopez and Dupee were planning to get married, and had no prior relationship with Zimmerman.Zimmerman returned to the scene of the shooting that day, surrendered to police, and confessed to the shooting. He’s been held on $1-million bond since.
If he pleads guilty to an intentional homicide charge, Zimmerman would face life in prison. A judge would decide if he would be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 25 years. The specific terms of any plea bargain won’t be known until his court appearance.
